Apparatus for steaming, heating and cooling fabric



y 31, 1955 J. JARKOW 3,253,349

APPARATUS FOR STEAMING, HEATING AND COOLING FABRIC Filed March 25, 1964 I" l. S A II lH E 4/ wmmwmmwmwwww s l INVENTOR.

JOE JARKOW K124i... y

ATTORNEYS United States Patent York Filed Mar. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 354,608 7 Claims. (Cl. 3453) This invention is generally concerned with an appara tus for steaming and finishing fabrics, garments, parts of wearing apparel and the like; more specifically it describes a method forthe creation of pleats in fabrics, and especially describes an apparatus which will automatically steam, heat and cool fabric according to a predetermined programmed cycle.

It is often necessary in the finishing of fabrics to utilize steam and dry heat. For example, this will be necessary when pleating, or forming folds in fabric. The weblike length of fabric will first be folded or pleated between layers of a flexible guide material which will temporarily hold the said fabric with the fold and pleats therein. The now folded web of fabric must be first steamed for a predetermined period of time, and then heated for a predetermined period of time in hot air environment, and finally, cooled. When the web of fabricis then removed from the pleat guides, it will retain the folds or pleats therein.

The above means for laying in pleats in cloth piece goods is well known. There are, at present, several known devices to assist in accomplishing the above. Essentially, however, all of the known prior art devices accomplish the necessary pleating steps in separate mechanisms and in a primitive manner. For example, an ordinary steambox with an ordinary hand valve is customarily utilized to provide the steam to the folded fabric. An operator will usually stand by the machine, and time the operation, so that the hand valve may be turned off and the garment removed from the steambox approximately when desired. The fabric may then be allowed to dry and cool, necessitating a long wait before the folded fabric may be removed from the pleat guides.

Additionally, there is known in the prior art separate units which will provide dry heat on the steamed fabric after it is removed from the steaming box. This will assist the drying and shorten the time necessary for the same but is still primitive as an operator is necessary to remove the steamed fabric from the steaming box, insert it into the hot air device, and finally, to wait for the parts to cool.

It is a cardinal object of this invention, therefore, to provide an automatic system for steaming heating, and finally cooling a folded web of fabric without the attention of an operator.

Another primary object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus to accomplish the above.

Still another function of the invention set forth herein is the provision of a unit which will reduce the time required by the prior art device to form pleats in fabrics.

Yet another object of this invention is the description of a unit which will form a'better and more permanent pleat in fabric while reducing the wear on the pleat guides or patterns.

The objects of this invention are accomplished by providing an apparatus with a scalable inner chamber. The folded web of fabric in the pleat patterns will be placed in the chamber. The unit will have a self-contained circulatory system which will provide and distribute the required amount of steam, hot air, and cool air to accomplish the pleating operation. The steam will be supplied from a source such as a self-contained or exterior boiler and will be fed to the. inner chamber in a controlled manner through a valve actuated by a solenoid and in turn, controlled by a timing device. The dry heat will be supplied by a self-contained oven as of the gas type. The dry heat temperature may be controlled by an automatic thermostat and introduced into the inner chamber through a plenum or a separate pressure container. Additionally, a timing device will be utilized to control the flow of the heated air. Finally, the coolant, which may be ambient or refrigerated air, will be supplied in a controlled manner, actuated by a timing device, through an exhaust and blower system which will be built directly into the unit.

Thus, all of the above-described cycles, may be actuated and pre-set by automatic timing devices which will operate independently, simultaneously, or in sequence, as desired.

With these objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will appear in the following specification and recited in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which the same reference numerals indicate the same parts through the figure, and in which: 7

The figure is an elevational diagrammatic representation of the front of one embodiment of the invention with the front cover removed to show the inside workmgs.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates diagrammatically one embodiment of the invention, there is shown a unit 10 for accomplishing the above. The unit shown 'is of the upright type which may be most convenient for the setting of pleats in .a fabric.

The illustrated device 10 includes an inner chamber 11 to receive the folded fabric in a pattern 12. A sealed door 14 is provided to seal the inner chamber 11 when the machine is in operation and thus, prevent the escape of steam, heated air, or coolant. When the door 14 is closed, the inner chamber 11 comprises an autoclave, or a heavy sealed chamber within which a high pressure may be maintained.

The top 15 andbottom 16 of the inner chamber 11 is partially screened with suitable openings to permit the ingress and egress of the steam hot air and coolant to be provided.

Steam is admitted through the bottom of the inner chamber 11 through a line 18 from a steam boiler 19. The steam line 18 will lead to the bottom wall 16 of the inner chamber 11 and will there be in communication with the said inner chamber 11. At least one valve 20 actuated by a solenoid 21 controls he passage of the steam from the boiler 19 to line 18 into the inner chamber 11. The solenoid 21 in turn is controlled by a first timing device 22 which is set to allow the flow of steam from the boiler 19 into the inner chamber 11 for any predetermined period of time required to form the pleats in the fabric in the said inner chamber 11. A drain pipe 24 may be provided at the bottom of the inner chamber 11 to remove any excess water that may collect within the said inner chamber .11.

The timing device 22 acting through a solenoid 21 and a valve 20 will permit steam to enter the chamber 11 and continue flowing therein for a predetermined period of time. At the completion of the desired steaming cycle, the solenoid 21 will cause the valve 20 to close, thereby preventing the flow of any further steam from the boiler 19 to the said inner chamber 11.

Together with the steaming cycle, or at the completion of the steaming cycle, or just prior to the completion thereof, the dry heated air cycle is commenced. A blower 25 is provided to assist in the flow of the air. A gas heat- 3 ing unit 30 is built within the base of the unit 10. The said gas heating unit 30 heats the air within an air plenum 31 to a desired temperature. The air from the plenum 31 is then allowed to flow through line 32 past open valve 34 and finally upward past the blower 25 into the inner chamber 11.

A temperature sensing unit 36 is provided within the inner chamber 11, and connected to a temperature control device 38. The temperature control device 38 can be set for a predetermined temperature and is in turn, connected to a valve 40 in a gas feed line 41. to the gas heating unit 30. Thus, the temperature control device 38, by the expedient of permitting a greater or a lesser amount of gas to flow to the heating unit 30 is able to regulate the temperature within the inner chamber 11 closely during the dry heating portion of the cycle. Further, the valve 34 in the hot air line is controlled by a solenoid 42 which in turn, is actuated by a second timing device 44.

Thus, the duration of the heating portion of the cycle of this mechanism may be accurately controlled by the second timing device 44, and the temperature during this portion of the cycle may be controlled by the temperature control device 38.

Usually, just after the termination of the heating air portion of the cycle, the cooling cycle is commenced. For the usual operation, ambient air may be utilized to cool the inner chamber 11 and the folded fabric therein. However, for certain operations, it may be desirable to provide refrigerated or force cooled air.

An air feed line 50 is utilized to draw the cooling air as from the outside of the building. The cooling air will flow through the line 50 past the control valve 51 and finally be forced by the blower 25 upwards into the inner chamber 11. To insure the continued circulation of the cooling air and the rapid cooling of the parts, an exhaust manifold 52 may collect the air at upward passage through an inner chamber 11. The exhaust will then be blown by a second blower 55 through an exhaust line 56 to the interior of the building for discharge. Again, as before, a solenoid 58 connected to a third timer 59 will be utilized to control the timing and duration of the fiow of coolant through the inner chamber 11.

Thus, there is provided above, a device for accomplishing all of the objects previously set forth and others. The inner chamber will have a self-contained circulatory system which will circulate and distribute in the required order and for the required duration the proper amounts of steam, heating air and/or cooling air. Once set in operation, the machine will continue to function automatically cycling and continuing through to the final formation of the pleats in the fabrics without further attention, or the availability of an operator. The inner chamber 11 will function as an autoclave for quick and efiicient operation. Further, in that the parts do not have to be handled between each of the portions of the cycle, the unit may operate at higher temperatures during the steaming and hot air portions of the cycle then possible heretofore.

It is to be realized that the unit shown herein is merely 60 for exemplary purposes and may take any of several forms for efiicient operation.

While there are above disclosed but a limited number of embodiments of the structure and product of the invention herein presented, it is possible to produce still other embodiments without departing from the inventive concept herein disclosed, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations be imposed on the appended claims as are stated therein, or required by the prior art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for the setting of pleats in fabric, comprising:

(a) a sealed chamber to receive the folded fabric to have pleats set,

(b) at least one ingress opening and one egress opening in communication with said sealed chamber,

(0) and first means to provide steam through said ingress opening to said inner chamber,

(d) and second means to provide dry air to said inner chamber through said ingress opening,

(e) and third means to provide dry heated air to said inner chamber through said ingress opening.

2. An apparatus for the setting of pleats in fabric, comprising:

(a) a sealed chamber to receive the folded fabric to have pleats set,

(b) at least one ingress opening and one egress opening in communication with said sealed chamber,

(c) and first means to provide steam through said ingress opening to said inner chamber,

(d) and second means to provide dry air to said inner chamber through said ingress opening,

(e) and third means to provide dry heated air to said inner chamber through said ingress opening and to exhaust the said inner chamber through said egress opening.

3. An apparatus for the setting of pleats in fabric as set forth in claim 2, further including a first timer to control the duration and timing of said actuation of said first means.

4. An apparatus for the setting of pleats in fabric as set forth in claim 2, further including a second timer to control the timing and duration of said second means.

5. An apparatus for the setting of pleats in fabric as set forth in claim 2, further including a third timer to control the timing and duration of said third means.

6. An apparatus for the setting of pleats in fabric as set forth in claim 2, further including a first timer to control the duration and timing of said actuation of said first means, a second timer to control the timing and duration of said second means, and a third timer to control the timing and duration of said third means.

7. An apparatus for the setting of pleats in fabric as set forth in claim 6, wherein said first, second and third timers are each connected to a valve whereby the flow of steam, heated air and cooling air may be controlled.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1952 Foulder et al. 3453 X 7/1957 Pope 3453 X 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR THE SETTING OF PLEATS IN FABRIC, COMPRISING: (A) A SEALED CHAMBER TO RECEIVE THE FOLDED FABRIC TO HAVE PLEATS SET, (B) AT LEAST ONE INGRESS OPENING AND ONE EGRESS OPENING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID SEALED CHAMBER, (C) AND FIRST MEANS TO PROVIDE STEAM THROUGH SAID INGRESS OPENING TO SAID INNER CHAMBER, (D) AND SECOND MEANS TO PROVIDE DRY AIR TO SAID INNER CHAMBER THROUGH SAID INGRESS OPENING, (E) AND THIRD MEANS TO PROVIDE DRY HEATED AIR TO SAID INNER CHAMBER THROUGH SAID INGRESS OPENING. 